Ignition system.



H. R. VAN DEVENTER.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28. I9I6. 1,229,351 Patented June 12, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. R. VAN DEVENTER.

IGNITION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-28.1916.

Patented June 12, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' lwuemcoz AI STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN' DEVENTER, 0F SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR T0 SPLITDORF ELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J IGNITION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une '12, 1917.

Application filed December 28, 1916. Serial No. 139,322.

State of South Carolina, have invented cer-.

tain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to new and useful lmprovements 1n igmtlon systems, and more particularly to an ignition system in which make and-break igniters are employed.

An object of the invention is to provide an ignition system ofthe' above character wherein the ignition current is generated by a magneto, and the opening of the contacts of the igniter. is controlled by the ignition current generated by the magneto, so that the time of breaking of the contacts is de-' termined by the electrical action of the magneto, thereby eliminating all lag that frequently occurs when mechanical devices are relied upon to separate the contacts.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an ignition system of the above character wherein the actuating mechanism for the magneto closes the igniter contacts, after which they are held in closed. position by a locking mechanism which is tripped by an electromagnet which is in turn controlled by the ignition current generated by the magneto..

A still further object of the invention is to provide a supporting bracket for a makeand-break igniter and also for the magneto for generating an ignition current for the ig-- niter wherein the contacts are closed by the actuating mechanism of the magneto, and

wherein said contacts are opened by mechanism controlled by the ignition current genvvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

Inthe drawmgs, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention ' Figurel is a front view showing an ignition system embodying the improvements,

Fig. 2 is a view, more or less diagrammatic and partly in section, showing the igniter, the controlling magnet, thelocking mechanism for holding the contacts closed, and the actuating or resetting mechanism for moving the contacts in closed position.

In carrying out the invention, I have provided an igniter of the make-and-break type which may be of any suitable construction. The contacts are normally held ,closed through a suitable locking mechanism which is controlled by' an electromagnet, and this electromagnet is in turn controlled by the ignition current so that, when-the ignition current is at a maximum, the contacts may be separated for producing thedesired spark. The ignition current is supplied through a magneto, preferably of the type wherein the rotor or armature is oscillated for producing the desired ignition current. The armature is oscillated through a push rod controlled by the engine, and cooperating springs which return the armature quickly to normal sta tionary position when released ,by'the push Referring more in detail to the draw- My improved ignition system includes a supporting bracket 1 which is secured in any desired way to the wall of the cylinder, and mounted in this bracket is an igniter which includes a fixed electrode 2 carrying a con tact or igniter point 3. Coiiperating with this fixed electrode is a movable electrode 4 which extends through the wall of the cylinder and carries an arm 5 on which is mounted a contact or igniter point 6. On the other end of the electrode 4: there is anarm 7. A spring 8, secured at one end to said arm 7 and at its other end to a lug 9 carried by the supporting bracket i, normally tends to turn the arm 7 so as to separate the contacts, and

the movement of the arm is limited by a stop 10.

Removably mounted on the bracket 1 is a magneto 11 which consists of a permanent magnet 12 and an oscillating rotor or armature, the axis of which is indicated at 13. This armature or rotor is of the well known construction and has not been shown in detail. The armature or rotor is actuated by a trip lever 14 which is mounted so that its center is in line with the axis of the arma- 17 and 18 are connected respectively to abut- 1 ment pins 19 and 20. The trip lever is oscillated by a push rod 21 which is connected to some moving part of the engine. This push rod operates in the well-known way. When it is moved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, itengages the arm 22 of the trip lever, raises the same, and finally slips off of said arm, owing to the fact thatthe end of the arm moves in an arc of a circle, while the push rod moves in a straight line. When the, trip lever is released it causes the armature or rotor to have a quick movement to its normal stationary position, and this gencrates the ignition current. \Vhen the end of the arm 22 is raised by the push rod, the 'arm' 23 of the trip lever moves downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the-movable electrode is a setting lever 24. Said setting lever 24 partially surrounds the electrode but is formed With a space between its ends indicated at 25 in the drawings. A spring 26 attached at one end to the lever 24 and at the other end to a pin 27 on the bracket normally tends to move the lever 24 in a clockwise direction about the center of the electrode 4. The shoulder 28 of the lever 24, when said lever moves in. a clockwise direction, engages the under face of the arm 7 and raises said arm, thus moving the electrode so as to carry the movable contact or ignition point into engagement with the fixed contact or ignition point. The spring 26 becomes effective to bring about this action when the end 23 of the trip-lever moves downwardly,

as viewed in Fig. 1. A

The arm 7 is locked in raised position with the contacts in engagement by a pivoted arm 29. This pivoted arm. may be the armature or connected to the armature of an electromagnet indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The cores of the electromagnet are indicated at 30. A spring 31 is connected to this arm 29 and to the bracket and normally tends to move the arm away from the cores of the electromagnet. The ignition current generated" by the. magnetov is led through a line 32, first about the cores of the electromagnet and then to the stationary contact or ignition point. The movablecontact or ignition point is connected to the igniter frame so that the return circuit is through a ground. The coils of the electromagnet are wound in any well-known manner, and are so proportioned that, when the ignition current reaches a suflicient maximum so as to provide an eflicient spark, then the electromagnet becomes effective'to draw the armature 29 from underneath the arm 7 and the spring 8 at once moves the arm and separates the contacts.

The operation of my device is thou ht to be clear from the above description. s the push rod moves in an upward direction for the purpose of setting the magneto, it will so at the same time release the lever 24 so that the spring 26 may move said lever to lift the arm 7 and bring the contacts into engagement. The arm 29 moving underneath the arm 7 holds the contacts in engagement so that, when the trip lever is released by the push rod and the lever 24 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction through the action of-the trip lever, the contacts will still be held in engagement. When the armature is rotated through a suflicient distance to generate-a maximum current for producing an efficient spark, the ignition current thus generated by the magneto will energize the electromagnet which will in turn move the 5 arm 29 rom underneath the arm 7 and this permits the contacts to quickly separate, thus forming the spark.

From the above, it will be noted that the time of separating the contacts for ignition is controlled by the electrical action of the magneto, and I have, therefore, been able to do away with any lag which frequently results when mechanical devices are used for separating the contacts. Any wear or loose- 5 ness in the parts when the mechanical devicesare used may result in the opening of the contacts either too early or too late for the maximum generated ignition current which gives the ignition spark.

It will be noted that the igniter, the magneto, the actuating mechanism therefor, and the controlling devices for closing and separating the contacts are all carried by a single bracket, thus producing a unitary structure. 5 It will also be noted that the actuating mechanism for the magneto which also resets the igniter or moves the contacts into closed position is mounted independently of the magneto on the bracket so thatthe 12o magneto may be removed without disturbing this actuating mechanism which resets the igniter. It will also be noted that the trip lever is formed of one piece of metal, and this trip lever is adapted to engage an 125 adjustable set screw 33 carried by the lever 24.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of the spirit bf the invention, vas set forth in the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as newis: Y

1. An ignition system including a makeand-breakj lgniter, a magneto, actuating /2. An ignition system including a make- 15 mechanism and-break i iter, a magneto, actuating or the magneto, means operated by said actuating mechanism for closing the igniter contacts, locking mechanism for holding the contacts closed, and electromagnetic means controlled by the ignition current generated by the magneto for releasing the locking mechanism to permit the contactsto open.

3. An ignition systefn'including a stationary igniter contact, a movable igniter contact, a spring for normallyaholding said contacts separated, a magneto for furnishing ah ignition current to said igniter contacts, actuating mechanism for said magneto, devices controlled by said' actuating mechanism for moving said contacts into engagement, means for locking the contacts in engagement, and an electromagnet controlled by the ignition current generated by the magneto for releasing the movable contact to permit the spring to open the contacts;

4.. An ignition system including a stationary igniter contact, a movable igniter contact, a spring for normally holding said contacts separated, a lever, a spring for operating said lever, said lever being constructed and arranged so as to move the contacts into engagement, at magneto, a tripping device for said magneto, said tripping device cooperating With' said lever for moving the same against the'action of the spring so "as to permit the contacts to be separated, means for locking the contacts in closed position, and an electromagnet for releasing the contacts to permit thespring controlling the same toseparate the contacts.

5 An ignition system including a stationary igniter contact, a movable electro e carrying a movable igniter contact, arm projecting from said movable electrode, a spring connected to said arm for normally separating the contacts, a lever mounted on said electrode and having means for engaging the arm for moving the same in a'direction to close the contact, a spring for moving said lever, saidspr-ing being of greater tension than the spring for separating the contacts, whereby said lever Will close the contacts, a trip lever operated by the engine for moving said lever to permit the contacts to be separated, means for locking the contacts in engagement When closed, an electromagnet controlled by the ignition current i for releasing the movable electrode to permit its actuating spring to separate the contacts. 1 I

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HARRY RANDOLPH VAN DEVENTER. 

